Economic Reporter :
International Maritime Academy celebrates the passing out ceremony of the fifth batch of pre-sea cadets with pomp and grandeur at its own campus at Pubial, Gazipur on Tuesday.
Shajahan Khan, Minister for the Ministry of Shipping attended the occasion as the Chief Guest. Meher Afroze Chumki, State Minister for Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Ashok Madhob Roy, Secretary, Ministry of Shipping was the special guest.
Commodore M Zakiur Rahman Bhuiyan, Director General of Shipping attended as guest of honor.
Beside this Ruben Arosemena, Ambassador or the republic of Panama to Republic of Korea, Tsuneo Watana, Managing Director, Tokyo Marine Ltd, Mr Koje Yamada, Managing Director, Unix Line, Junji Kimoto, General Manager, Santako Senkako ship management co ltd and Abani Mohapatra, General Manager of Unix Line Singapore.
One hundred and fifteen cadets have passed out this year from Nautical and Engineering division.
This is the first permanent installation for maritime training in the private sector.On 1st March 2010, the International Maritime Academy celebrated the passing out ceremony of its first batch of cadets. Subsequently the second batch passed out from this academy on 28 July 2011, third batch on 30 Jan 2014 and fourth batch cadets on 18 Feb 2015, beside that the 1st batch ratings passed out from this academy on 11 Dec 2014. Presently, 76 cadets of 6th batch and 30 Ratings of 2nd batch is undergoing training.
The training was conducted as per the syllabus approved by the Department of Shipping. On completion of two year training at the institute, the trainees will join as cadets on foreign going vessels managed by M/s Haque and sons Ltd.
In reputed companies such as UNIX Line Pte Ltd. Singapore, Bernard Schute Ship Management, V-Ships Asia Pte Ltd, First Marine Services, Tokyo, K-Line Ship Management, OSM Hong Kong, Eurasia Ship Management, Santuko Ship Management etc. They will also earn their salary as per international scale. These cadets will join the ship for one-year prior sitting for their certificate of competency examination.
Gold Medal for overall best performance was awarded to Cadet Md Abu Bakar Siddique, he received the silver medal for the best Nautical Cadet as well. Cadet SM Asif Mustafa received the Silver Medal as the best Engineering cadet.
A ceremonial march past by smartly turned out contingent of cadets was followed by an oath taking ceremony.
The Commandant of the Academy, Capt, Zaki Ahad in his welcome address appraised the audience of the progress being made by the academy to enhance maritime education and training in the private sector. He also stated about the training facilities of the installation.
The Minister in his speech stated the importance of private sector in the development of the nation and applauded the role of International Maritime Academy for its contribution to the maritime education and training sector.
Meher Afroze Chumki, the State Minister, who is also the local MP for Gazipur-5, the locality where the permanent campus of the Academy is taking form welcomed the concept of human resource development initiative of the Academy and assured the owners of the Academy of her whole hearted support and expressed the hope that in years to come, the International Maritime Academy would continue to generate more trained manpower in the maritime sector.
The passing out ceremony ended with slow march past by the cadets in line with tradition of the merchant marine.
